Slusho Unrelated to Cloverfield?!

Peter Sciretta from Slashfilm has reported he's talked to four people who have seen early cuts of Cloverfield. According to his sources, Slusho! has very little to do with the actual plot of the movie. In fact, JJ never realized just how popular Slusho! would be.

All this Cloverfield viral marketing has got me wondering. I have now talked to four people who have seen an early cut of Cloverfield. I haven't heard one negative so far, although everyone is very reluctant to share any details about the film. But I have been able to confirm something that I have believed all along -

Slusho! has almost nothing to do with Cloverfield!

Yes, Paramount and Bad Robot are using Slusho! to promote Cloverfield. I'm not suggesting otherwise. Slusho! branded T-shirts were even handed out at the Paramount panel during Comic Con 2007 (where Cloverfield made a brief appearance).

What I'm here to tell you today is that Slusho! has very little to do with the plot of the movie, and only makes a brief appearance on the t-shirt of one of the characters. I’m being told that is pretty much the extent of it. So the question now becomes: How did a JJ Abrams inside joke become the focal point of the entire viral marketing campaign for a movie that has nothing to do with everyone’s favorite Japanese frozen beverage?

I’ve been told by numerous sources that Paramount, Bad Robot, and even JJ Abrams didn’t expect this much interest in their small January monster movie. Possibly afraid of a repeat of Snakes on a Plane, it appears that the studio doesn’t plan to up the marketing budget for the movie. So maybe Slusho! was JJ Abrams’ and Bad Robot’s way of advertising the movie on a low budget? Or...

Here is were the speculation begins...

Or maybe Slusho! is actually part of another JJ Abrams project entirely. Bad Robot has at least seven projects set up at Paramount, spanning the comedy, romantic comedy, horror and supernatural genres. Could Slusho! be connected to one of these projects? Could a teaser trailer be shown in front of Cloverfield?

One of my credible non studio sources has heard that “Slusho! is a project that JJ Abrams has been working on for years now...” But everyone else I’ve talked to seems to know nothing at all. So for now it is all just speculation. JJ Abrams is very good at keeping secrets, because he keeps them within the arms of his small production company. He’s big enough not to have to go through studio channels where the noise usually gets out.

Devin at CHUD.com seems to think everyone scrambling for clues in the Cloverfield viral marketing campaign is a big nerd. Well, duh. Proudly. This is news? My wife even makes fun of me. So what? Everyone needs a hobby.

Star Trek Teaser Attached to Cloverfield

Trekmovie.com and ScreenRant.com confirm the Star Trek XI Teaser Trailer will premiere in front of Cloverfield. The trailer should show up online (officially) a few days later at the usual locations (Apple Trailers, etc).

There is no confirmation as to why they picked Cloverfield. Chances are, it's to boost ticket sales from rabid Trek fans, and of course, the JJ Abrams connection probably doesn't hurt.

Lizzy Caplan Interview - Cloverfield

Blackbookmag.com has an interview with Cloverfield cast member Lizzy Caplan (Marlena Diamond aka LenaDia). Since not all the questions revolve around Cloverfield, I'll highlight the ones that do. One thing to note, this article was posted yesterday, but seems like the interview took place several weeks ago.

BB: What can you tell me about Cloverfield? Is that even the name of the movie?

LC: I can’t even tell you that. It’s so weird, and I’m fully aware of how obnoxious it is.

BB: Have you seen it yet?

LC: No. I saw the newest trailer, though, which should be coming out in a few weeks. I think people are going to be pleasantly surprised, because this is a much bigger trailer [than the existing teaser], with more explosions and whatnot. It’s either going to be really good, or really disappointing. I don’t think that there’s much chance of gray area.

BB: What drew you to the character in the first place?

LC: Well, we weren’t exactly clear about the characters we were playing when we signed on. The producers sat us down and we auditioned with scenes that aren’t in the movie. Some were from “Alias” and some had been written specifically for the audition. And they were all very misleading.

BB: So, in casting, you read from Jennifer Garner’s lines?

LC: I’ve never really watched “Alias,” but I think they were Jennifer Garner’s lines. I had to plunge a syringe into some guy’s chest, and we were in France, and I didn’t have any idea what was going on.

BB: What convinced you to take the part?

LC: I’m a fan of “Lost.” That was it. During the first few weeks, it was like, “Oh god, this is what we’re doing? I had no idea. I’ll never sign on to another film again not knowing full well what it is.” But honestly, if Woody Allen or Wes Anderson called me today, and said, “Hey you want to do something? You don’t get to read the script,” I’d be like, “Yes, yes, yes!”

BB: How did J.J. Abrams ensure that the story wasn’t leaked? Did you get to take the script home with you?

LC: They’re actually coming by to pick it up today. We had to swap out every new set of pages with the old pages. They’re bright red, the scripts, and watermarked with our names. So, nobody wanted to be the one to accidentally leak it. They’re pretty hardcore about all of that. I don’t know how they’ve managed to keep it so secretive, though, because people obviously want to know more. And nobody knows anything. The speculation is very inaccurate.

BB: What are some of the more ridiculous speculations?

LC: There’s all this YouTube stuff about analyzing the trailer. People are seeing things that aren’t there and making up stuff that isn’t true. There’s this one still of me and Jessica Lucas, who’s another actress in the film, and people thought there was some crazy lion behind us. But people are wrong.

BB: Have the paparazzi been diligent about trying to get on set?

LC: There have been a few instances. The movie has gone though a bunch of different, strange names so that people don’t catch on. At one point, the title was Chocolate Outrage. But it’s interesting because nobody in the movie is famous. The movie is the celebrity. So it was almost like we were existing in the belly of Julia Roberts, where nobody cares about us. They were just taking pictures of this person that we were living inside.

BB: How has this project been different from, say, your experience with Mean Girls?

LC: The physically demanding elements were definitely different, and it’s shot in a very specific way. There’s no turning around, no close-ups, and no coverage. Also, because there were no recognizable names in it, the movie looks like it cost 150 million dollars even though it doesn’t. It was done really cheaply. People trying to make large-scale movies are going to be forced to do them for a lot less money after this comes out.

BB: Have you revealed any of the secrets to your friends or family?

LC: I’m a big fan of keeping secrets. I didn’t tell my agent. I didn’t tell my manager. I haven’t told anybody.

BB: Are you consciously trying to get away from the outsider roles that you often play?

LC: My character in this movie is kind of sarcastic, and she’s not great friends with people, so there are still outsider parts to it.

Just Call It 1-18-08

As we previously reported, there was speculation that the name of this film would be "Monstrous." Since then, JJ Abrams debunked that idea at Comic-Con, and we are left with more questions. Now, there are several reports that our beloved movie will be called "Wreck."

Honestly, I think we should just call the movie 1-18-08. Historically, dates of major catastrophies have held much more meaning than some nickname or slogan. Think 9/11. If the movie is called "Wreck," then so be it. But right now, I wouldn't put much stock in the idea.

JJ Abrams Producing More Untitled Movies

As reported in Variety, JJ Abrams is producing yet another untitled thriller. It appears even fewer details are known about this film. Our fan favorite, Cloverfield, and this newly announced untitled movie are both part of a seven (at least) movie deal Abrams and Bad Robot have with Paramount Pictures.

Paramount Pictures has acquired a pitch for an untitled supernatural thriller that will be written and directed by Josh Marston and produced by J.J. Abrams' Bad Robot.

Project was pitched to Abrams by Marston. The filmmaker, who made a splash with "Maria Full of Grace," has also been developing an adaptation of the Jonathan Lethem novel "Fortress of Solitude."

Details on the pitch were being kept under wraps, as is Abrams' usual m.o. Still, only a year into a five-year pact with Paramount, Bad Robot has quietly set up at least seven projects, covering the comedy, romantic comedy, horror and supernatural genres. It's expected that Bad Robot will generate at least two projects a year for the studio, but Abrams' shop is keeping tight-lipped about all of them.

Abrams unveiled the tentatively titled "Cloverfield" with a teaser trailer on prints of "Transformers." The modestly budgeted disaster pic that will open Jan. 18is directed by Matt Reeves and written by Drew Goddard, based on an idea by Abrams.

Abrams will begin directing "Star Trek" on Nov. 5, scripted and exec produced by Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci. Pic's produced by "Lost" exec producers Bryan Burk and Damon Lindelof, and Stratton Leopold, who worked with Abrams on "Mission: Impossible III." "Star Trek" opens Christmas Day 2008.

Micah at CHUD.com (beware of pop-up ads) has chimed in on what he thinks about this new development.

I guess this is Abrams’ signature much as the Shocking! Final! Twist! was M. Night Shyamalan’s for a time. And I think it’ll get old just as fast. I understand that with a hungry internet media presence out there, it’s very difficult to preserve the mystery around any given film. And who can blame J.J. for wanting to generate some buzz with a low-budget monster flick with no stars? I don’t begrudge him that at all. But it just seems silly to ascribe that sort of intrigue to everything you’re involved with, regardless of genre. What once seemed unique and thrilling can become an annoying gimmick in the click of a mouse, and the question of whether this will hurt or help these lower-scale films has yet to be answered. We’ll see in January.

So far, this Blogger is locked-in and ready for the ride!

CNBC Coverage of Comic-Con and 1-18-08

J.J. Abrams mystery movie comes to Comic-Con

Our own CameronJr9 (Scott Gibson) was recently featured in a segment of CNBC's "On the Money."

UPDATE: The video is now posted on YouTube. Hopefully it stays there. Thanks to Kyser Lough for uploading the original video!

1-18-08 Comic-Con Audio and Video

The guys over at Movie Web have uploaded the audio from JJ's appearance. The reports we received yesterday afternoon were fairly spot-on. He seemed rushed, but that's understandable. He didn't really have too much information for the fans, and he is involved in so much more right now with Star Trek XI and Lost.

So check out the audio at Movie Web. Note: Only the first two minutes are JJ. The rest is about The Spiderwick Chronicles.

Audio of the 1-18-08 and The Spiderwick Chronicles Panels at Comic-con 2007

I also found this video on YouTube. Fast forward through the first minute and a half to see JJ up on the big screen.

News from Comic-Con

We have some news live from Comic-Con.

JJ Abrams just ran out for two seconds. "I want a monster movie." Didn't give
the title but said it's not called MONSTROUS.

Of course he could be joking.

More JJ: He said we'll see a trailer, etc. eventually, but now all we get is a poster of the headless Liberty. Film is almost done shooting.

Thanks to Whitney at Pop Candy who is at Comic-Con.


FirstShowing.net has some more in-depth information. Check it out.

2:22 - The original trailer in front of Transformers for Cloverfield / 1-18-08 debuts. JJ Abrams heads to the stage. His very quick statement on the film (as he'll be back for Star Trek XI):
“I want a monster movie, I've wanted one for so long. I was in Japan with my son and all he wanted to do is go to toy stores. And we saw all these Godzilla toys, and I thought, we need our own monster, and not King Kong, King Kong's adorable. I wanted something that was just insane and intense. It's almost done shooting and I watch dailies and I'm more excited for them than the trailer, which has had an overwhelming response.
We have 6 months before this comes out. We're going to have a whole bunch of things, a whole bunch more." He said a full trailer, more clips, full posters, and much more will be coming out over the next 6 monts, including the name, which he will NOT reveal today.
“You think we'd call it Monstrous? No…"
So, the film is NOT a Godzilla movie, it is an original monster movie, and
it is NOT called Monstrous!

Cinematical.com
has an update from Comic-Con. you'll have to scroll down to get to it. The
important stuff is below.

JJ Abrams comes out (wearing an Infocom shirt, to boot!) and in extremely rapid-fire fashion he tells us, "I wanted a monster movies, and had taken my son to Japan, and there were all these Godzilla dolls everywhere." *cheers from the audience* "However, I decided we needed our own monster. We're not showing any footage, but we're almost done shooting, and I think you'll love it. We aren't revealing a title today." *boos from the audience* "What would you think if we called it Monstruous?" *Puzzled reaction from crowd.* "Anyhow, we'll see. We have a new poster out, and you'll be getting that today. I can't wait for you to see this.. Bye!

P. S. I want that poster!!!!

Stay tuned for more details!

Cameron's Monstrous CNBC Interview

I just got an e-mail from Julia Boorstin at CNBC asking for an interview. Looks like this little blog is getting some national recognition.

Hi Cameron-
I'm CNBC's media correspondent and I'm doing a segment today on J.J. Abrams making his presentation at Comic-Con. We think your blog is amazing and we'd love to interview you about it on camera for a taped segment on the Monstrous movie.
Where are you? And can we grab you for a quick 5 minute interview?

Thanks!
Julia

Julia Boorstin
CNBC - Media and Entertainment Business Correspondent

UPDATE: I just got home from talking with Julia Boorstin. The interview was fairly quick, and my ear piece kept shorting out. I'm sure it'll play well on camera. Be sure to check out the interview on CNBC's "On the Money" Friday, July 27 at 7:00 p.m. ET. Take a look at her blog at Media Money while you wait for any updates from JJ Abrams at Comic-Con.

Greg Grunberg to Appear in 1-18-08

TV Guide has more news about the Heroes cast being involved with JJ Abrams. It appears JJ's long-time friend, Greg Grunberg will make an appearance in Abrams' as-yet-unnamed movie.

One movie that Abrams is casting Grunberg in is the buzzerific disaster flick known only by its myriad working titles (i.e., Cloverfield, 1-18-08, Slusho). "It'll probably be something where no one will be able to tell it's me," he said. "As you know, J.J. calls me his good-luck charm, so he's got to put me in there somewhere. I actually went to the set the other night, and it was really exciting and cool. The budget is not astronomical. But they're doing incredible things."

Grunberg has appeared in Felicity and Alias, and had a small part as the pilot of Flight 815 in LOST.

LOST reference

Ok I'm sure by now LOST fans have already figured out the coincidence of the "release date" right?? If you just haven't been paying attention the release date is 1/08 just like 108! For those of you who aren't LOST fans there is a sequence of numbers that have a "reoccurring" role so to speak throughout the show. The numbers are 4, 8, 15, 16, 23, 42. When you add those numbers together you get 108. We think is the release date is 1/08. Get it! I'm sure this is no coincidence on JJ Abrams part. He knows what he is doing is driving us crazy!

Who is J.J. Abrams

For those of you who aren't huge LOST geeks, or even ALIAS for that matter, and are unsure just who J.J. Abrams is, here is a link to IMDB that might help you out.

http://imdb.com/name/nm0009190/

JJ Abrams fans are having the Best Week Ever

VH1's show, Best Week Ever, featured clips from the 1-18-08 trailer during this week's broadcast. Check it out.



UPDATE: The video is back up so enjoy!! You can also search VH1's V-Spot for the full episode.

In other news...

The New York Post has a fairly detailed and well written article about the movie. Check it out. There are lots of clues and insider information.